death of a 10.5' cactus?

Discussion in 'Cacti and Succulents' started by Cherish, Feb 12, 2008.

  1. Cherish

    Cherish Member

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    Location:
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    My house came with this cactus and it has survived several owners. It's part of the house. The previous owner potted it in rocks and told me she gave it a cup or two of water once a month or so. It grew many feet under her care so I aimed to continue her regiment. It has been 3.5 years and apparently I started well but I must've blundered somewhere along the way, because I see that many branches have dried out (and are dry & black inside). I'm not totally sure but I'm thinking now that probably the main trunk is dead. It still seems hard but that outermost layer peels away readily and I don't see any sign of moisture. Maybe at this point I should just cut off the branches that are still green and root them? Is it possibly to root large branches or should I only aim for small ones? Do I need to cut them right where they begin or can they be cut anywhere along their length? In other words, can branches that are half-dead be rooted? Can I just stick them in sand or do they need some other treatment? And last but not least, what exactly is this thing?

    Anyway, here are some pictures:
    http://picasaweb.google.com/thecherie/Cactus

    Thank you for the advice!
     
  2. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Hmmmm doesn't look good. Have you had lots of rain there in the last month or so?
     
  3. Cherish

    Cherish Member

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    It's inside the house. Are you suggesting that maybe I over watered it?
     
  4. Rhynno

    Rhynno Active Member

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    Has it been close to a cold window? It looks like it was chilled a bit to me (not 100% sure though). Looks like a Euphorbia to me, pseudo cactus. Might want to take a cutting from some of the green growth just to be on the safe side.

    Best of luck!

    Ryan
     
  5. Cherish

    Cherish Member

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    Since we turn down the heat at night I suppose that it's been exposed to temperatures down to about the upper fifties. It's not by any windows though. It gets light from skylights and glass doors that are 5'+ away.
     
  6. Rhynno

    Rhynno Active Member

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    Hmm doesn't sound like it has been chilled then. I had one of those for about 15 years (a lot smaller than yours though) and it got top heavy, so much so that the roots broke off and the plant slowly died. Has the plant been jarred or bumped lately?
     
  7. wazungy

    wazungy Active Member 10 Years

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    If it is any help, your "cactus" is actually an Euphorbia, a bit different from a cactus.
    The sap or latex some euphorbia produce can be very toxic. Read up on the topic before taking cuttings.

    I have no idea about how Euphorbias root or the care of them. But yours does look rather ill. I would suggest you throw out the whole plant, including the pot and soil to be safe and buy another one (if you can't get a cutting rooted" They are a common enough plant found in many garden departments in home reno type stores.

    Wazungy
     
  8. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    The others are correct in that the plant is a species of Euphorbia, possibly trigona. At any rate, the main plant appears as if it is on it's way out. However, there appears to be enough healthy tissue left to cut off and save. Rooting E. trigona is relatively easy to do, so there is hope.

    Cut off however much of the healthy tissue you want and let the white, milky sap dry up. Use gloves and wipe up the mess because the sap is poisonous. You can simply let the open end dry up for a day or two. A loose mix of course grit, perlite, vermiculite, etc. will work fine as a rooting medium. Dust a little rooting hormone on the cut end and simply stick it in the rooting medium. Keep slightly moist, not wet, and after 3-4 weeks it should start to root. Once it starts to root, you can back off on the water by allowing it to dry out for a day or two between waterings. By summer, it should be actively growing.
     
  9. Cherish

    Cherish Member

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    Wazungy, I don't want a new one, I want this one with the history in this place :) If I had to start completely over I think I'd pick a different plant entirely. Yeah, maybe I'm a little excessively sentimental over such a monstrous plant.

    Thanks markinwestmich, especially for the warning about the sap. Wearing gloves, I've just cut down a bunch of branches and I'll pot them up in a day or two.
     
  10. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    Location:
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    you'll still have this plant - along with it's history and how that's tied to the house. the fact that you've had to trim it down and re-root some of it is just going to be YOUR part of it's history.

    the house is a new/fresh start for you and, now, it looks like the plant is getting a new/fresh start as well. seems pretty fitting :)
     

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